When you are fan of a certain franchise, you can be very passionate about it. That can be both a blessing and a curse. Take the Star Wars universe for instance. The release of last year’s The Last Jedi has devided the fan community in a way that no film had ever done previously. For every fan that loved it, there was also someone who hated it. You only have to read my own review for it to see which camp I belonged to. Even though my review was the most controversial post that I have ever written, it also gathered an enormous amount of views and comments, more than any other post that ever appeared on this blog. Why? Because a lot of people love Star Wars and are very passionate about it. But when does passion turn into unfairness? One only has to look at the box office performance of the new Star Wars movie to see what is happening. Before it’s release there were certain fans that deliberately sabotaged the new film simply because of the awfulness of all that was Episode VIII. Admittedly I was very skeptical for the new movie as well. But I gave it a chance any way. And you know what? I am very glad that I did.
Solo a Star Wars movie takes place roughly 15 years before the events of Star Wars Episode IV. It kicks off on the planet Corellia where we get to meet everyone’s favorite scruffy looking nerfherder Han Solo, albeit his younger version. Han, together with his lover Qi’ra are desperately trying to escape from a local criminal gang. Just when it seems that the odds have turned in their favor and they are about to go off planet, Qi’ra gets caught. Han makes his escape but vows to return in order to save the woman he loves. Three years later Han has entered the service of the Imperial army, but it is a job he is not very happy with (or very good at). But then he meets up with the criminal gangleader Beckett and he sees an opportunity arising that may final give him the chance to become something more. However things aren’t always what they seem to be, and what at first seems like an easy job might soon turn into a nightmare. But help sometimes comes from the strangest sources, and in this case in the form of a young Wookie that goes by the name Chewbacca…..
When this movie was first announced a lot of people (myself included) asked the question: ” Do we really need this film?”. Han Solo is an iconic character, that is loved by a lot of fans and played brilliantly by actor Harisson Ford. When the news came out about a troubled production, a director leaving the film and other news like that, we all got a bad feeling about this. But it seems our fears were misplaced. Solo is a fun film, that I enjoyed very much. Alden Ehrenreich who plays the young scroundel, is pretty convincing as Solo. While he might not have the same charisma as Ford, he has enough charm to pull it off and at certain moments in the film it almost seems like you are really watching the young Harisson. And that of course is a big compliment. But, it has to be said, it is actor Donald Glover in the role of Lando Calrissian that really deserves the most credit. Even though his screen time is limited, all his scenes are a delight to watch. He really is Lando in every sense of the word.
From a storypoint of view we have a tale that was pretty predictable but still had a few surprises in it nonetheless. Especially a nice twist at the end that should come as a big, but very welcome surprise for fans. This basically is a heist movie in space. It doesn’t pretend to be anything else nor does it need to. This being a Star Wars movie we of course have plenty of action, though not on the scale that we are used to in any of the previous installments. Still the special effects and action scenes work where they need to, but the movie does seem a tad bit too long. One of the weaker points of the film is it’s main villain played by actor Paul Bettany. His character just lacks the depth to make him truly menacing and this is the films biggest flaw. We also have a new droid that acts as the comedic relief but most of those “funny” scenes fall flat and fail to really make you laugh.
Overall though we have a movie that at least for me has managed to wash away the bitter taste that was left after last year’s Episode VIII. Solo is a film that many Star Wars fans (and even non Star Wars fans) will quite enjoy. The fact that the movie unfortunately isn’t performing well at the box office is a real tragedy. And that brings me back to the opening paragraph of this post: fandom can have both it’s positive and negative effects. I think to let a single movie ruin the franchise for you is maybe going at it the wrong way. Yes, I was furious as well last year, but since then I also put things in perspective. Star Wars has been around for a long while, and will probably be here for many more decades to come. Every once in a while there will be a film that you might not like or even downright hate. But that’s something that happens to most franchises or television series. So in other words, give Solo a fair chance and watch it with an open mind. You will, in all likelyhood be very pleasantly surprised by it. I know I was…
I give Solo: A Star Wars story a 8 out of 10 score.
Fun is the right word. I enjoyed it… twice. Though not my favorite I felt it a necessary film.
It owed me nothing. Neither does George Lucas. I decided a fair while ago in reality that no one owed me anything… and I have been free of them ever since.
May the force be with you magic using Majere. Say hi to Kit for me.
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I would have loved to see it a second time, but unfortunately I did not get that chance. But eventually I probably will when it arrives on dvd. It defiitely was a fun film…much more fun than I expected which is positive 😊
I said hi to Kit for you, but as usual she just flashed her crooked smile at me and pretty much ignored me. Oh well…I guess some things never change 🤔🤔
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Look like seeing Jurassic World today. Not a franchise I ever got into much.
I don’t mind the direction the Star Wars franchise is going. I get the impression George Lucas is a lot happier too now.
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Well Lucas was pretty much done with the fans of Star Wars and all the hate he kept receiving for the prequels. So I can understand that he is now happier.
I hope that next year’s Episode XI will be a fun film, that hopefully will bring back most of the fans of the franchise.
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Unfortunately a lot of so called fans of life are never happy with anything in it. They rarely achieve much yet always expect MORE.
If you want criticism…. just do something 😂
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Lucas is a Virgo I think. His approach to directing is genius in a true Virgoan manner…
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Ooh, this is actually the first Star Wars film I’ve ever seen, and I certainly had a good time with it! Though I’m a fan of Game of Thrones and I didn’t even recognize the same actress…
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It was a really fun film..something I honestly did not expect. Still…if this is the first Star Wars film that you have seen: trust me when I say that you will have a blast watching the original trilogy, as that’s even better than this one.
Lol…her hair looks totally different in this movie, so it’s no surprise you did not recognise her 😊😊
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I haven’t seen this and I don’t plan to. I’m really worried that Disney is going to destroy the franchise
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Well…honestly…this film is crazy fun. I was very, very skeptical for it as well, but I was positively surprised which is great! I do have the same fears, but with this film Disney proved they have it in them to make a good movie 😊
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I completely agree with your review. I too liked the film alot. I loved that it was just fun adventure movie that I could just sit back and enjoy. One of my favorite films of rhe year so far
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That’s exactly the right description for it:a fun adventure film! It had this oldschool feel to it, which is why it was so much fun. Hopefully the next installment in the Star Wars saga will be as much fun as this one 😊
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This sounds like a fun movie, though I gave up Star Wars after they put out 4,5 & 6 which was really 1,2 & 3!
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Lol..yeah the Star Wars franchise can get confusing. I think you might enjoy this one though, as it can be pretty much seen as a stand alone movie without much knowledge of other Star Wars lore 😊😊
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Yep I’ll have a bash 😊
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I didn’t get the chance to see this one, and I am not in any rush to. I dislike prequels of any sort mostly because I already know where the character has to end up, and Solo doesn’t seem like it is going to add all that much that I need to hurry and see this. That said, I’ll get to it eventually and the mixed reviews have helped to keep my expectations in check so maybe I’ll end up pleasantly surprised. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
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Yeah…I am not a huge fan of prequels either, exactly for the same reasons you mentioned yourself. Still…I was quite pleasantly surprised by this one, as it had that old adventure movie quality to it, which is a fun and positive note 😊 When you get around to seeing it, I am looking forward to hearing your thoughts on it 😀
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I must admit, even as someone who enjoyed (but wouldn’t class themself as a fan of) the Star Wars films, I wondered if this was really needed. I’m glad it seems to have been pulled off well, as it’d be a shame for the franchsie to stumble when it comes to such a well loved character.
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Yeah..it was the same with me. With so many angles to still explore in this universe, it seem Disney is determined to keep on the safe path. Still this movie was definitely fun and enjoyable and I was pleasantly surprised by it 😊
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Pleasant surprises are the best ones. The question is, is it a cinema-worthy film or is it one that’s better to wait for the DVD?
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This one is definitely cinema worthy. That’s for sure. There are quite a few pretty spectacular scenes, that just are better seen in the theatre than on the home theatre so to speak 😊
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It’s a shame that people these days have become so fixated on the irrelevant drama and politics surrounding movies that they don’t seem to even care about the actual quality of the movie anymore. This was a perfectly good film.
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Completely agree. It’s okay to dislike a movie, but when you completely start to ignore everything else because of one bad experience that’s just crazy. And a real shame too, as I’m pretty sure that most Star Wars (and even non Star Wars) fans would love this film.
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Great review! I loved reading your perspective on it especially since I totally agreed with your review on Episode VIII haha. I’ve gotta say I haven’t seen it yet and I’m not sure I will. Maybe when it goes on Netflix I’ll watch it but I’m just so hesitant to see it. I have friends who loved it and friends who hated it and I just don’t know how I feel about it’s existence haha But who knows? Maybe I’ll be surprised and really enjoy it!
I AM really excited to see the Boba Fett movie though. I think they can make something awesome with that and hopefully they won’t waste the opportunity!
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Sorry for the late response…I got hit by a very annoying flu bug, so just came back again today.
But of course thank you very much. Yeah Episode VIII was very bad, and it honesty took me a while to finally get me convinced to go and see Solo…but….I am glad that I did. It really is a fun film, not perfect, but still it had enough Star Wars magic and fun things in it, to make it worth a trip to the cinema.
Boba Fett could certainly be a great film…with everything now on hold though…I wonder if it’s going to get made. Will keep my fingers crossed for it 🙂
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Ah this is a wonderful review!!!! I went into this movie feeling quite skeptical for the reasons that you listed above, but I ended up absolutely loving it. I thought Alden did an amazing job as Han Solo, considering he had some really big boots to fill. I agree with the villain, and it’s a shame because I usually like Paul Bettany. I am honestly really sad that it hasn’t done well at the box office. People listened to the negativity of disgruntled fans, and it is really disappointing. I know quite a few people who have said they wouldn’t go and see it because of the negativity surrounding it. I absolutely love Star Wars. I have watched it since I was a kid and have grown up loving this franchise. I want it to win, and I think other fans should feel that way too….I don’t really understand it. Anyway I have rambled enough. Thank you for this great review!!!
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Thank you so much for this amazing and very kind comment and my apologies for responding so late to it. I got hit by a very annoying flu bug, so I just came back again today.
I totally agree with everything you have written here, and did not think it was a ramble at all. Fans can certainly be too harsh at times. I am a huge Star Wars fan myself, and despite being very disappointed in Episode VIII, that wasn’t a reason for me not to go see this film. I am avery glad that I went as it really was a fun movie. Hopefully next year’s Epiode XI will bring most of the fans back to the galaxy far, far away. Thank you again 😊
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I think it wasn’t just the fact that the previous Star Wars had mixed reactions and the haters decided to sink Solo. Solo had some well-documented production issues like the lead needing a coach and the original directors fired. I’m not even a real fan and heard about this in passing, but whether you’re a Star Wars-aholic or not, that kind of info doesn’t really inspire you to go out and see a movie with such problems. It’s one of the reasons I didn’t go out and see it.
Plus, there are a lot of big hits out this summer. But it does seem like most people who actually have seen it said it turned out better than the thought.
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Yeah I can understand that too. I personally had a hard time in convincing myself to go and see it as well, pretty much for all the reasons you mentioned, but in the end I am very glad that I did go out and see it. It turned into a fun filled old school adventure movie that is worthy of the name Star Wars.
Ps…sorry for the late response, but I got hit by a flu bug…so just came back again today 🙂
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Hopefully you’re feeling better!
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I am thank you very much. I plan to get back into the blogging sphere again the coming weekend! 😀😀
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I haven’t seen this yet, as I’m suffering from Star Wars burn out. I was seeing headlines that Disney’s put the brakes on the spin off machine now, which I think is good. Avoid another MCU thing… I can catch up with this in my own time. Likely after 9.
I know a lot of folk have attributed the poor reaction to this to the fanboys who hated Episode 8, but I think the reports of the troubled production made this one a tough sell.
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Hi…sorry for the late response but had to get hit by an annoying flu bug. Hopefullu me saying I am back now…is truly the last time 🙂
Well..it’s probably a combination of things: I really have seen a lot of people openly stating that they were going to boycot the movie…but a lot of people already passed it off as bad movie before that started. A real shame as it truly was a fun film.
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“What at first seems like an easy job might soon turn into a nightmare.” Sounds like everything I’ve ever tried to do, hehe. I can really relate to poor wee Han Solo 🙂
Great review. Glad the movie turned out to be good, after the disaster that was last year 😀
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Haha…awww I’m sorry to hear that. Oh well…look at it this way: future things you will do will probably turn out great 🙂
Thank you…yeah I did not expect it, but it really was quite the fun and enjoyable ride indeed. Sorry for the late response, but got hit by a super annoying flu bug..ughhh 😢
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Don’t worry yourself about the late response.
Oh Glob, hope you’re better now. Flu during summer must have been rough. 🙂
Aww, thank you. That’s a really nice way of looking at things 😀
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It was seriously rough…and it could have been timed worse just when I came back to blogging as well as right after Animecon. Sigh…well I am back luckily now…and hopefully nothing else is going to happen now 😊
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I loved this movie too!
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Yeah, it was great. I amlost didn’t go see it, but I am very glad that I did. It really was a lot of fun 😊
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In hindsight your review of Last Jedi wasn’t that controversial. A lot of Star Wars fans didn’t like it. I myself gave it a below average review. Solo was a more enjoyable movie, but between the fan boycott and the studio filming it twice the film has been a financial flop.
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Lol, I guess it wasn’t, but still it was the biggest rant in the history of my blog, which still makes me wonder if it was me that wrote it lol.
Yeah it’s too bad about Solo…to me it felt like an oldschool adventure movie and I quite enjoyed it. Really wonder what they will come up with next 🙂
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So glad you’re finally back again! Great review as always! 😊
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Hi!!..Thank you so much, sorry for the late response but just came back again (because I was hit by a flu bug…ugggh). But I hope that now I am really back!
Great to say you again as well. I hope everything is going well with you too.
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Everything is fine. Though I’ve been busy lately and therefore found it hard to post more often than before. But, I am trying my best 😊
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No worries: your posts are always worth the wait, and I always highly enjoy reading them so take all the time you need. And of course I am glad to hear that everything is fine 😊😊😊
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Thank you so much! 😊
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The Last Jedi really did leave a bad taste in my mouth and is the biggest reason why I didn’t bother hitting the theaters for Solo, even with people saying that it deserves to be given a shot. Great review, Michel. I’ll definitely check this out once it becomes available on Netflix now.
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Sorry for the late response, but I have been hit by an annoying flu bug the past few days…so just got back again as I am feeling a bit better.
True enough, I almost did not go to Solo myself because of the hate I still felt after the Last Jedi, but….I’m glad I did. Solo feels like an oldschool adventure movie and I really enjoyed it immensely. Hope to hear your thoughts on it when you get around to seeing it 😀
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When I first saw this movie was coming out, I was like not another Star Wars movie! But seeing as how you liked it, I should give it a chance 😊
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It’s pretty much what I thought myself as well, but it turned out great. It’s got this old nostalgic feel to it, and is basically one of those old style adventure films. I definitely think you will enjoy it, and look forward to hearing your thoughts on it if you get around to seeing it 😊
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I may have to convince my bf to go see it w/ me. He isn’t a big fan of the newer movies, but if it’s in an older style then maybe he’ll go lol
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Lol, well I hope you will be able to convince him. It’s a fun film, that has a light tone and isn’t very dark either. It put me in a very good mood to be honest 😀
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That’s great 😊 we haven’t seen a movie in a long time so I think now would be a good time
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Thanks for the reblog, appreciate it 😊
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Well at least this was better than the last Star Wars rating hon! Glad it was fun.😊
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Lol…yeah that last one was such a rant. When I read back that review I was thinking, wow did I write that 😂😂
But yes this one was so much more fun and lighthearted. Really a bit of an oldschool adventure movie which is great 😊😊😊
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I’m so glad it was better! It’s great to rant once in awhile.
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Okay. Noone should kill me or think I am nuts, but I know a lot about the Star Wars franchise of movies but I have never even watched a single one. Always thought of watching but never got to. But reading this, I think it’s high time I read and shared my opinions as well!
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Haha…no worries: no plans to kill you, and I definitely don’t think you are nuts!
I have missed out on a lot of things myself in the past and I am pretty sure that you just can’t watch everything.
As for Star Wars: it really is a wonderful franchise, and much more than your average sci fi films. They tend to be more fantasy even 😊😊 I’m pretty sure you would love them, especially the original trilogy 😊
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Yeah I am gonna find them all and watch. I read online a little bit more and it sounds really interesting!
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I enjoyed this movie. It was fun to watch.
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It really was a fun film. Just a bit like those old feel good movies from the past that were always so much fun to see. 😊 Glad you enjoyed the movie too 😀
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It was good. It almost reminded me of Rogue One but with characters we know like Han, Chewbacca and Lando.
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